Written Answers

Monday 4 December 2000

Scottish Executive

Children

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what medical advice it has received and what medical advice it has disseminated to schools regarding treatment of children with headlice by parents.

Susan Deacon: Each health board is responsible for developing and implementing, in conjunction with other interested bodies, a policy for dealing with headlice infestation. The policies are aimed at ensuring that schools, General Medical Practitioners, Community Pharmacists and the general public have a good understanding of their roles in tackling the problem of headlice.

  The Scottish Executive will be working with health boards to develop a national leaflet to provide advice to schools and parents on the treatment of headlice infestation.

Drug Misuse

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug-related deaths there were in 1999 and how many deaths resulted from alcohol abuse, according to the International Classification of Diseases coding, in the same period.

Iain Gray: There were 340 drug-related deaths and 1,103 alcohol-related deaths in Scotland during 1999.

  Under the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), drug-related deaths may be coded to a number of categories. Information on a specific group of these codes is published each year in a short paper prepared by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS). The total given above was taken from the latest paper, which was published in August 2000. A copy of this paper may be found in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no. 8433) or on the GROS website:

  (www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/grosweb/grosweb.nsf/pages/99ddeaths).

  As with drug-related deaths, alcohol-related deaths may be coded to a number of ICD categories. The total above covers deaths from the following underlying causes (the relevant ICD codes - Ninth Revision - are given in brackets): alcoholic psychoses (ICD9 291), alcohol dependence syndrome (ICD9 303), non-dependent abuse of alcohol (ICD9 305.0), alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ICD9 425.5) and chronic liver disease and cirrhosis with a mention of alcohol (ICD9 571.0 – 571.3).

Ferry Services

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the EC guidelines on state aid to maritime transport permit exceptions to competitive tendering for public service obligations and contracts "in the case of island cabotage involving regular ferry services" and whether it will identify the relevant section of those EC directives, regulations and the Treaty which persuaded it to advise in Delivering Lifeline Ferry Services that (a) the service currently delivered by CalMac requires to be tendered and (b) tendering the whole network as one would not meet the requirements of the above mentioned guidelines.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive is aware of, and has considered, the exception mentioned. However, Article 4 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3577/92 provides that "whenever a Member State concludes public service contracts or imposes public service obligations, it shall do so on a non-discriminatory basis in respect of all Community shipowners." It is considered that that requirement of non-discrimination could not feasibly be met in any way other than through tendering the services.

  No decisions have yet been taken on how services should be grouped for tendering purposes. Following representations to the European Commission, at both ministerial and official level, it appears most unlikely that the Commission would accept that tendering the network as a whole would meet their requirements.

Health

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail by health board area the incidence of burkholdaria cepacia from 1991 to 1995 including details of the number of fatalities and the age groups of those affected.

Susan Deacon: Between 1991-95, 26 cases of this infection were reported to the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health. The centre received no reports of fatalities as a result of this infection. The age profiles of those affected, by health board, are shown in the following table:

  


Year 


Health Board 


Age Group 


Total 




1991 


Ayrshire & Arran 


0-4, 35-39, 50-54 


3 







Greater Glasgow 


30-34, 50-54 


2 







Highland 


15-19 


1 



 
 
 

(6) 




1992 


Ayrshire & Arran 


45-49, 65+ 


2 



 

Grampian 


15-19, 65+ 


2 







Tayside 


65+ 


1 



 
 
 

(5) 




1993 


Ayrshire & Arran 


65+ 


1 



 

Argyll & Clyde 


15-19 


1 



 

Forth Valley 


0-4 


1 



 

Greater Glasgow 


30-34, unknown 


2 



 

Lanarkshire 


65+ 


1 







Lothian 


25-29 


1 













(7) 




1994 


Ayrshire & Arran 


0-4, 15-19 


2 



 
 
 

(2) 




1995 


Ayrshire & Arran 


35-39, 40-44, 65+ 


3 



 

Grampian 


65+ 


1 



 

Lanarkshire 


15-19 


1 







Lothian 


55-59 


1 



 
 
 

(6) 



 
 
 

Total (26)

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to give local health care co-operatives some degree of commissioning powers.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is currently considering a range of measures to improve the operation of the NHS in Scotland, this includes the development of LHCCs. The Scottish Health Plan, to be published shortly, will outline our proposals in this regard, following extensive discussion and consultation.

Higher Education

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the drop-out rate was amongst students and mature students in higher education last year.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Information is not collected on "drop-out rates". However, data published on 6 October 2000 for 1998-99 indicates that 7% of young entrants and 13% of mature entrants did not continue their studies following the year of entry to higher education in Scotland - an improvement on the 9% and 16% of the previous year. The data also projected that 16% of all full-time students starting a first degree course in Scotland are not expected to obtain a qualification nor transfer to another HE institution. The full report on the latest Performance Indicators will shortly be available through the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Housing

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current membership is of the Glasgow Housing Partnership Steering Group.

Jackie Baillie: The Glasgow Housing Partnership Steering Group was set up to develop a framework within which a transfer proposal could be developed. The work of the steering group ceased to function on the publication of the framework document Better Homes Stronger Communities in April 2000. Since then the Interim Management Committee of the Glasgow Housing Association was formed to take forward the development of the proposal. The names of the members of that committee are available from the Glasgow Housing Association.

Human Rights

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish the consultation paper on a Scottish Human Rights Commission.

Mr Jim Wallace: As I told the Justice and Home Affairs Committee on 6 September, we expect to publish a consultation paper at the end of this year or early next year.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to announce the further recruitment of temporary sheriffs.

Mr Jim Wallace: The names of the first tranche of appointments to the new office of part-time sheriff were announced on 13 October 2000.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many criminal trials were postponed at first sitting in Glasgow Sheriff Court in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Mr Jim Wallace: The following table shows the number of summary trials called and adjourned at Glasgow Sheriff Court during the period from September 1999 to August 2000. Trials can be adjourned for a variety of reasons including, for example, the unavailability of witnesses. The table, therefore, also provides information on the percentage of trials adjourned due to lack of court time.

  

 

Trials Called 


Trials Adjourned 


Adjourned Lack of Time 




September 1999 


805 


270 


1.3% 




October 1999 


873 


327 


3.2% 




November 1999 


832 


279 


1.4% 




December 1999 


548 


188 


0.9% 




January 2000 


665 


242 


1.3% 




February 2000 


861 


271 


1.9% 




March 2000 


782 


304 


1.2% 




April 2000 


695 


252 


3.8% 




May 2000 


782 


259 


2.0% 




June 2000 


790 


268 


1.8% 




July 2000 


680 


235 


3.6% 




August 2000 


676 


249 


3.9%

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Glasgow Sheriff Court is meeting the 12 week target for sending civil cases to trial, how many cases are meeting the target, and how many are not and by how long.

Mr Jim Wallace: The attached table shows the number of civil proofs fixed at Glasgow Sheriff Court during the period from September 1999 to August 2000. The 12-week target was met throughout the period with the exception of December 1999 when the period increased to 15 weeks. The table also provides information on the percentage of proofs/debates adjourned due to lack of court time.

  While trial diets may be available within the 12-week period, dates for individual cases may be fixed outwith this timescale to suit the convenience of the parties to the action at the request of solicitors.

  The statistical information available does not differentiate between those proofs fixed within the 12-week waiting period or those fixed outwith this period at the request of solicitors.

  

 

Civil Proofs Assigned 


Adjourned Lack of Time 




September 1999 


53 


0 




October 1999 


133 


0 




November 1999 


111 


1.3% 




December 1999 


63 


0 




January 2000 


65 


0 




February 2000 


64 


1.1% 




March 2000 


52 


0 




April 2000 


56 


1.5% 




May 2000 


61 


1.3% 




June 2000 


65 


0 




July 2000 


57 


0 




August 2000 


63 


1.2%

Meningitis

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adverse drug reactions to the meningitis C vaccine have been reported in Scotland and how many of these were fatal.

Susan Deacon: Reports of suspected adverse reactions (ADRs) to medicines marketed in the UK are received by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA). A report may describe more than one ADR in an individual.

  As at 29 August, the MCA had received 7,742 reports of 16,527 suspected adverse drug reactions to the meningitis C vaccines authorised in the UK. Each report relates to one patient although any single patient may have had more than one suspected reaction. Of these reports, 625 were from Scotland and these correspond to 1,329 suspected ADRs, none of which were associated with a fatality.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the implementation of the Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland .

Malcolm Chisholm: The Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland set out a six-year implementation programme to September 2003.

  Progress has been good in some areas, less so in others. The Mental Health and Well Being Support Group has been established specifically to help agencies advance the implementation programme against the timetable and ambitions set out in the framework.

  The support group, chaired by Dr Ian Pullen, (Consultant Psychiatrist, Borders Primary Care NHS Trust) includes local authority and NHS professional membership, service user and carer representatives. The Chairman is also free to co-opt any individuals he considers appropriate to the delivery of the group’s task. The group have completed six visits of a rolling programme across Scotland to meet all partner care agencies and service user and carer representatives.

  The aim for all is full implementation by 2003 of a modern, flexible and responsive mental health service as set out in the framework.

Ministerial Correspondence

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs will reply to my letter of 9 October 2000 regarding Mr Peter Strachan.

Rhona Brankin: I replied on 22 November.

Multiple Sclerosis

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-9430 by Susan Deacon on 15 September 2000 and the Scottish Needs Assessment Programme report on multiple sclerosis (MS), and in the light of the relatively high incidence of MS in Scotland, whether it will advise the Chief Scientist Office to reconsider not contributing to Scottish, UK or European studies into MS treatment.

Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-11381 on 1 December 2000.

Multiple Sclerosis

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7241 by Susan Deacon on 1 August 2000 and the Scottish Needs Assessment programme report on multiple sclerosis (MS), whether it will assess the number of MS patients in each health board area who could benefit from prescription of Beta Interferon and what financial allocation will be made available for the prescription of the drug.

Susan Deacon: Only certain patients with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis are likely to benefit from the use of Beta Interferon. The question of whether an individual patient might benefit from this treatment is a matter for the clinical judgment of the specialist concerned, informed by advice and evidence about its use.

  Health boards receive a unified budget which includes provision for prescribing. These funds are intended to cover all pressures, including the provision of new drugs and the greater use of existing therapies.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3949 by Mr Jack McConnell on 19 June 2000, to list (a) all Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) which have awarded contracts in the absence of competitive tendering since May 1997 and (b) all such contracts involving NDPBs, giving the reason for not using competitive tendering in each case.

Angus MacKay: The detailed information requested is not held centrally. I would refer Lord James to my previous answer. It is a current requirement that NDPBs ensure that appropriate procedures are in place in line with current Scottish Executive policy relating to procurement and tendering issues. The exact nature of the procedures and delegated limits agreed form part of individual Management Statements and Financial Memoranda. These documents not only set parameters within which bodies operate but also reflect the requirements and individual circumstances of each body. It is important to emphasise that in making such decisions all NDPBs have a responsibility to ensure fairness, accountability and value for money.

Organic Food

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10729 by Ross Finnie on 13 November 2000, what environmental disbenefits could be associated with imported organic foods.

Ross Finnie: All transportation of products over long distances results in an environmental cost e.g. in terms of air pollutants and CO² emissions. This will vary according to the mode of transport and the length of journey involved.

Prison Service

Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the turnover of staff at each prison including Kilmarnock has been in each of the last three years.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Information about staff turnover at Kilmarnock is not collected by the SPS as it is a matter for Premier Prison Services who operate the establishment.

  The level of staff turnover through resignations at SPS managed prisons was 4.6% for the financial year 1999-2000. Details for each prison and for previous financial years could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Public Transport

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that policies to improve public transport for commuters and to reduce their use of cars do not reduce the amount of local community transport in socially excluded urban areas.

Sarah Boyack: The Executive has recently issued guidance to local authorities to assist them in preparing full Local Transport Strategies which highlighted the need for them to consider how the potential of voluntary or community transport can be maximised as part of an integrated transport network.

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities will still be the first point of contact for complaints, representations and requests for information from road users after the new contracts for trunk road management and maintenance are let in 2001 and what arrangements it proposes for liaison between the public, local authorities and contractors in the event that any of the contracts are won by contractors other than local authority consortia.

Sarah Boyack: The new operating companies will be the first point of contact. A freephone national customer contact number will be in place for the start of the new contracts on 1 April 2001 to allow the public to report defects and register complaints. The new contracts also require the operating companies to consult and liaise with a wide range of interested parties including the public, other operating companies and local roads authorities.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has given to local authorities regarding the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to the term contracts for the management and maintenance of trunk roads which are currently being considered and whether it considers that this guidance is in line with the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice on "Staff Transfers in the Public Sector" issued in January 2000.

Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr MacAskill to the answer given on 25 August to question S1W-8984 which explains the guidance the Scottish Executive will be giving to both local authority and private sector bidders and that account has been taken of the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice.

Rural Affairs

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it attaches to the retention of a skilled labour force in the countryside and what role machinery rings can play in this.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive Rural Affairs Department currently has a £300,000 contract with Lantra, the National Training Organisation for the land-based sector, which aims to promote the uptake of training in agriculture and production horticulture. The training is delivered by a range of organisations registered with Lantra, including colleges, employer-led groups, machinery rings and private training organisations. We fully support the inclusion of machinery rings in the group of training providers and have been encouraged to see the role and activities of rings expand in the past few years with the support of the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society.

  Support for a flexible and skilled labour force in rural Scotland is one of many topics being addressed in the development of the new Strategy for Scottish Agriculture. The importance of training, and other related issues such as the development of business skills, better use of technology, communication and the transmission of best practice in the farming industry will be reflected in the strategy.

Telecommunications

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a strategy to support the continuation of rural telephone exchanges which may be commercially unsustainable and how many such telephone exchanges there are in each local authority area.

Ms Wendy Alexander: BT operates under a Universal Service Obligation (USO) and if a telephone exchange is closed the service has to be maintained in some other way. The Scottish Executive has no functions in relation to the regulation imposed by OFTEL on telecommunications companies.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many workplace parking spaces it provides for employees at Victoria Quay and what steps it is taking to reduce the number of spaces.

Sarah Boyack: The total number of car parking spaces at Victoria Quay, including disabled and visitor spaces, is 680. I refer Mr Tosh to the answer given to question S1W-9268 which sets out the steps we are taking to encourage sustainable transport practices by staff at Victoria Quay.